Editorial: Mall's announcement likely to receive backlash

MRT

Published 6:24 pm, Wednesday, February 26, 2014

So Midland Park Mall is telling concealed gun owners to unpack before entering its premises.

Well, actually the policy has already been in place. The news is, that mall officials have posted a sign. Texas law states that residents who have a license to carry a concealed handgun are within their rights unless they are notified either orally or via written communication by a business owner that handguns are prohibited

Either way, those who believe in the right to conceal and carry are not happy.

It wasn’t difficult to see this coming.

Nor was it unexpected to hear of some talking about boycotts. Boycotting is becoming our favorite pastime. Don’t like the politics of the man who started Chick-fil-A? Boycott.

Can do without the Girl Scouts recognizing women whose political leanings are left of center? Boycott.

Don’t like that a business wants to afford its customers the opportunity to shop in an atmosphere of its choosing? Boycott.

We are proponents of businesses being able to decide what’s best for their customers. When country music stations stopped playing the Dixie Chicks after comments made about former President George W. Bush, we respected that.

When some on the right spread the message about boycotting Girl Scout cookies after the organization’s promotion (not political backing) of women newsmakers, we didn’t understand it but we respect their right. The same goes for the faux Chick-fil-A scandal.

Now Midlanders are ready to target Midland Park Mall for its decision. We get it. And it will be interesting to see how it turns out.

There is a message to send out, and as is the case with issues like smoking in restaurants, do not underestimate the power of the consumer and his or her checkbook.

Interestingly, coverage of the Midland Park Mall before the Reporter-Telegram report had not included the status of Music City Mall in Odessa. It also does not allow carrying weapons.